SENSE OF CONGRESS RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTION OF NUTRITION TO THE HEALTH OF OLDER ADULTS.

SEC. 318. SENSE OF CONGRESS RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTION OF NUTRITION TO THE HEALTH OF OLDER ADULTS.(a) Findings.—Congress finds that—(1) good nutrition is vital to good health, and a diet based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans may reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, macular degeneration, and cancer;(2) the American Dietetic Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians have estimated that the percentage of older adults who are malnourished is estimated at 20 to 60 percent for those who are in home care and at 40 to 85 percent for those who are in nursing homes;(3) the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences has estimated that approximately 40 percent of community-residing persons age 65 and older have inadequate nutrient intakes;(4) older adults are susceptible to nutrient deficiencies for a number of reasons, including a reduced capacity to absorb and utilize nutrients, difficulty chewing, and loss of appetite;(5) while diet is the preferred source of nutrition, evidence suggests that the use of a single daily multivitamin-mineral supplement may be an effective way to address nutritional gaps that exist among the elderly population, especially the poor; and(6) the Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that multivitamin-mineral supplements may be useful when they fill a specific identified nutrient gap that cannot be or is not otherwise being met by the individual’s intake of food.(b) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that—(1) meal programs funded by the Older Americans Act of 1965 contribute to the nutritional health of older adults;(2) when the nutritional needs of older adults are not fully met by diet, use of a single, daily multivitamin-mineral supplement may help prevent nutrition deficiencies common in many older adults;120 STAT. 2551(3) use of a single, daily multivitamin-mineral supplement can be a safe and inexpensive strategy to help ensure the nutritional health of older adults; and(4) nutrition service providers under the Older Americans Act of 1965 should consider whether individuals participating in congregate and home-delivered meal programs would benefit from a single, daily multivitamin-mineral supplement that is in compliance with all applicable government quality standards and provides at least ⅔ of the essential vitamins and minerals at 100 percent of the daily value levels as determined by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs.